Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-06
INTER State COMMERCE.
Representatives from the Birmingham
Coal and Iron Regions Ask the
Suspension of Section -Four.
4 StagnRii0n Of the Iron Business
Occaefoned by the Increase OF Rates
North o. the Ohio River
The Noble Cotton Exchange Protests
Against tee Suspension of the Law on
Account OF Discrimination.
ToBmE, Ala, May AT yesterday:

ToBmE, Ala, May AT yesterdays
session Of the Interstate commission
several gentlemen from the Birmingham
coaI ana iron regions, with petitions ask
Ing for the suspension Of the fourth sec
ton. were heard. james Bauren, secre-
tarv and treasurer Of the Alabama Coal,
IRON ana Railroad Company, stated thai
the Uig iron product # Alabama, 600 tons
per daV, would shortly be raised to 1900
tons. T4ere vas no local consumption
to Justify SUCa product, ana they must
seek distant markets. The business Of
this company began With formal contracts
extending over = number OF years, under
which the railroads gave low rates IN re-
turn for The guarantee Of steady business,
and under shase contracts the railroad
business had steadily increased.
Since the. bill went into
effect, instead OF making daily sales Of coo
tons, they made sales Of not more than
leo, mostly for shipment by water. This
company mad q capital stock of $40, O0OF-
600 and q bonded debt of Sc, 000, 900, ana
was seriously affected by the law. Some
Of tue works are outside Of the limits Of
Birmingham. Ten thousand people are
employed outside in portions OF our
works which could not be counted Gs pat
of Birmingham. We own $50, 900 acres
Of coal lands, and have invested in build
iDgs and machinery not less than 5,000,-
000
Judge COOleV-"DO I understand that
SIG 000,000 mas been actually invested in
lands ami property by your company"
B3uTeG-"Ges, sir"
Mr.. Bsuren went on to say tho value Of
the C0mDang'B stock had been sr9a6ily de-
Ginning OWING t. the staguGtiOu in the iron
business. Ehis stag1alion hsd been caused
by the enforcement Il the law IS to the
roads north OF tEe Ohio river, not to
OveroreduCgt0a rs the stocks were 60, 600
to q, GOO tons short.
Judge C0oley-''As l undertsnd you,
you expect to be crippled BY this act, but
not bT any OverprCductiOn Of trade?'
B3uren-'1 baOw inst if [ could say
would deliver iron for three or SIX
months q: 81. Louis or Detroit at the old
rates ct freight We could sell 5000 &c
5000 tons inside. Ct The next twenty days.
W. Leve competitors in New York, New
England, Eastern Pennsylvania, Missouri,
Michigan, etc. "
Judge CONGRESSIONAL not the cost
to make iron at BirminghsTnsAe less than
st those points,"
Bauren-''Yes; the expansion CT eleven
fold in the last few years is sufficient
---yoof OF that faCt.n
Judge Cooley-"Is it because CT these
contracts with railroads that you are able
TO pus your products in these competing
markets?'
Bauren-''Yes sir"
Juagc Cooley-"Do the manufacturers
of Michigan, Pennsylvania, etc, regard
this as JUS? Is it not the tendency &c
drive them out of business?"
'Legislstion is designed tC
produce the greatest good for the great
est number. whatever their opinion The
consumers up there are fifty to one Of th(
manufacturers, and the consumers could
hold up their hands aud bless q commits
sion which should help them"
The other iron men CT Birmingham con
cured in these views.
The representatives. OF the Southern
Yellow Pine Lum Der Manufacturers As
ISOLATION presented their case. They, toe
were hampered by increased rates EorL!
Ci the Ohio river. They were charged IOca
rates from St. Louis TO Kansas City.
Mr.. Morrison called attention TO TIL
fact that the main line between st
Louis and Kansas City was who'll.
in Missouri, and therefore beyond the com
missi0ners' control. He stated that only
three Of the southern roads had resumed
their former rates since the fourth section
had been suspended for their benefit
a protest from the Mobile Cotton EX
change against the suspension Of the lav
was presented. 1t charged that railroad!
Disseminated against Mobile in the max
ing Of through rates. When the wate
wss high and there was steamboat com
petition very low Tases were secured.